Patents by Inventor Anthony Schneider
Anthony Schneider has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20170017179Abstract: A method for estimating an amount of toner remaining in a reservoir of a replaceable unit for an image forming device according to one example embodiment includes receiving by processing circuitry pulses from a sensor. The processing circuitry counts the number of the pulses received from the sensor. Upon receiving a request from a controller of the image forming device, the processing circuitry sends to the controller of the image forming device the count of the pulses received from the sensor and resets the count of the pulses received from the sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2016Publication date: January 19, 2017Inventors: MICHAEL CRAIG LEEMHUIS, JEFFREY ALLEN ABLER, CHARLES ALAN BAST, TODD ALAN DUTTON, DAVID ANTHONY SCHNEIDER
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Patent number: 9454125Abstract: A toner cartridge according to one example includes a housing having a toner reservoir, an exit for exiting toner and an entry port for receiving waste toner. A partition divides the reservoir into a first compartment for storing fresh toner and a second compartment for storing waste toner. The first compartment is in fluid communication with the exit. The partition is movable within the reservoir between a first position and a second position. The entry port is in fluid communication with the first compartment when the partition is in the first position such that waste toner received through the entry port is deposited into the first compartment. The entry port is in fluid communication with the second compartment but closed off from the first compartment when the partition is in the second position such that waste toner received through the entry port is deposited into the second compartment.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2015Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Ligia Aura Bejat, Michael Alan Gist, Michael Craig Leemhuis, Prabuddha Jyotindra Mehta, Eric Carl Stelter, David Anthony Schneider, Kelly Marie Wright
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Publication number: 20160031099Abstract: An electric shaver generally includes a handle and a head mounted on the handle. The head has at least three cutter assemblies arranged in a forward-rearward direction. The cutter assemblies include a forwardmost cutter assembly and a rearwardmost cutter assembly that are long hair cutter assemblies. Each of the long hair cutter assemblies has a substantially U-shaped upper blade and a lower blade in shearing contact with the upper blade. The cutter assemblies further include a short hair cutter assembly disposed between the long hair cutter assemblies.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2015Publication date: February 4, 2016Inventors: Daniel John Provolo, Richard Kirk Maguire, Daniel Richard Teteak, Paul Anthony Schneider, Wang Xuan, John Y.M. Wong
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Publication number: 20160031100Abstract: An electric shaver generally includes a handle having an arm, and a head mounted on the handle via the arm such that the head is pivotable relative to the arm. The electric shaver also includes a clip by which the head automatically attached to the handle upon insertion of the arm into the head.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2015Publication date: February 4, 2016Inventors: Daniel John Provolo, Richard Kirk Maguire, Daniel Richard Teteak, Paul Anthony Schneider, Wang Xuan, John Y.M. Wong
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Patent number: 9104134Abstract: A method for estimating an amount of toner remaining in a reservoir of a replaceable unit for an image forming device according to one example embodiment includes receiving by processing circuitry pulses from a magnetic sensor. Each pulse is indicative that the magnetic sensor detected a magnet on a moving paddle positioned in the reservoir. The processing circuitry counts the number of the pulses received from the magnetic sensor. Upon receiving a request from a controller of the image forming device, the processing circuitry sends to the controller of the image forming device the count of the pulses received from the magnetic sensor and resets the count of the pulses received from the magnetic sensor.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2014Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Michael Craig Leemhuis, Jeffrey Alan Abler, Charles Alan Bast, Todd Alan Dutton, David Anthony Schneider
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Patent number: 9069286Abstract: A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. A rotatable shaft is positioned within the reservoir. A drive element is exposed on an exterior of the housing unobstructed to receive rotational force. The drive element is operatively connected to the shaft to rotate the shaft upon receiving the rotational force. A sensor is positioned to sense a rotational motion of the shaft. A processor is mounted on the housing and in electrical communication with the sensor. An electrical contact in electrical communication with the processor is exposed on the exterior of the housing unobstructed to mate with a corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device. The processor is programmed to send information related to the rotational motion sensed by the sensor to a controller in the image forming device.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2014Date of Patent: June 30, 2015Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Michael Craig Leemhuis, Charles Alan Bast, David Anthony Schneider, Daniel Steinberg
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Patent number: 8824929Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of photoconductive drums, each photoconductive drum transferring a portion of a toner image to an intermediate transfer member. The photoconductive drums are individually rotated to a printing speed such that a downstream photoconductive drum starts rotating prior to an adjacent upstream photoconductive drum starts image transfer. Similarly, an upstream photoconductive drum starts deceleration when its following downstream station has transferred image.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2010Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Alan Stirling Campbell, David Brian Langer, Peter Brown Pickett, David Anthony Schneider
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Publication number: 20140226994Abstract: A replaceable unit for an electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a housing having a reservoir for storing toner. A rotatable shaft is positioned within the reservoir. A drive element is exposed on an exterior of the housing unobstructed to receive rotational force. The drive element is operatively connected to the shaft to rotate the shaft upon receiving the rotational force. A sensor is positioned to sense a rotational motion of the shaft. A processor is mounted on the housing and in electrical communication with the sensor. An electrical contact in electrical communication with the processor is exposed on the exterior of the housing unobstructed to mate with a corresponding electrical contact in the image forming device. The processor is programmed to send information related to the rotational motion sensed by the sensor to a controller in the image forming device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2014Publication date: August 14, 2014Applicant: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Michael Craig Leemhuis, Charles Alan Bast, David Anthony Schneider, Daniel Steinberg
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Publication number: 20140212155Abstract: A method for estimating an amount of toner remaining in a reservoir of a replaceable unit for an image forming device according to one example embodiment includes receiving by processing circuitry pulses from a magnetic sensor. Each pulse is indicative that the magnetic sensor detected a magnet on a moving paddle positioned in the reservoir. The processing circuitry counts the number of the pulses received from the magnetic sensor. Upon receiving a request from a controller of the image forming device, the processing circuitry sends to the controller of the image forming device the count of the pulses received from the magnetic sensor and resets the count of the pulses received from the magnetic sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2014Publication date: July 31, 2014Applicant: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Michael Craig Leemhuis, Jeffrey Alan Abler, Charles Alan Bast, Todd Alan Dutton, David Anthony Schneider
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Publication number: 20140186063Abstract: A capacitive sensor for sensing amount of waste toner in a waste toner box of an imaging apparatus includes a capacitor that has a pair of separated plates disposed within the interior of the waste toner box. The capacitance of the capacitor changes with the amount of toner in between the plates of the capacitor. A sensor circuitry is connected to the plates of the waste toner box that measure the capacitance of the capacitor as a voltage value. This voltage value is provided to a controller that determines a relative change in the capacitance value by determining a change in capacitance of the capacitor with respect to a number of pages printed by the imaging apparatus. The controller then determines the state of the waste toner box based on this relative change in capacitance.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2012Publication date: July 3, 2014Applicant: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.Inventors: Andrew Charles Hogan, Peyman Kermanshahi Nejad, James Marion Nimmo, David Anthony Schneider, Christopher Kent Washing
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Patent number: 8731415Abstract: A capacitive sensor for sensing amount of waste toner in a waste toner box of an imaging apparatus includes a capacitor that has a pair of separated plates disposed within the interior of the waste toner box. The capacitance of the capacitor changes with the amount of toner in between the plates of the capacitor. A sensor circuitry is connected to the plates of the waste toner box that measure the capacitance of the capacitor as a voltage value. This voltage value is provided to a controller that determines a relative change in the capacitance value by determining a change in capacitance of the capacitor with respect to a number of pages printed by the imaging apparatus. The controller then determines the state of the waste toner box based on this relative change in capacitance.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2009Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Andrew Charles Hogan, Peyman Kermanshahi Nejad, James Marion Nimmo, David Anthony Schneider, Christopher Kent Washing
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Patent number: 8379247Abstract: A method and system for carrying out an image-to-paper printer registration setup includes: using a printer undergoing registration setup, printing a test pattern on a sheet having reference targets within a printable region of the sheet; using a scanner, scanning the printed sheet to generate an image bitmap of the test pattern-bearing sheet larger than the sheet itself so that the image bitmap contains the sheet edges and measuring in numbers of pixels the distances between the reference targets and/or sheet edges using multiple swaths of the image bitmap itself as the measuring tool; and, using a processor and based on the measured distances, calculating error-associated adjustment values in millimeters to use to correct errors in the registration setup of the image-to-paper in the printer and transferring the error-associated adjustment values to the printer to perform adjustment of its setup actuators.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2008Date of Patent: February 19, 2013Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Adam Daniel Cahill, Franklin Joseph Palumbo, Cary Patterson Ravitz, David Anthony Schneider, Daniel Paul Cahill, Mark Andrew Omelchenko, Philip David Jones
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Patent number: 8111272Abstract: A method for compensating misalignment errors associated with a laser beam in an electrophotographic (EP) device is disclosed. A first value and a second value of a time-of-flight of the laser beam are determined. The second value of the time-of-flight is associated with a current value of SOS time and EOS time of the laser beam. The second value of the time-of-flight of the laser beam is compared with the first value of the time-of-flight. A duty cycle of a fuser of the EP device is monitored. An average value of the duty cycle of the fuser for a predetermined time period is determined. One or more alignment conditions of the laser beam are adjusted based on at least one of the comparisons of the second value and the first value of the time-of-flight of the laser beam, and the determined average value of the duty cycle of the fuser.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2009Date of Patent: February 7, 2012Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Delbert Lester Elliott, John Lemaster, Mark Andrew Omelchenko, David Anthony Schneider, Thad Carlton Switzer
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Publication number: 20110293327Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of photoconductive drums, each photoconductive drum transferring a portion of a toner image to an intermediate transfer member. The photoconductive drums are individually rotated to a printing speed such that a downstream photoconductive drum starts rotating prior to an adjacent upstream photoconductive drum starts image transfer. Similarly, an upstream photoconductive drum starts deceleration when its following downstream station has transferred image.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2010Publication date: December 1, 2011Inventors: Alan Stirling Campbell, David Brian Langer, Peter Brown Pickett, David Anthony Schneider
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Patent number: 7890018Abstract: An image forming device includes a body having a top, a bottom, a front and a back. In one embodiment, a plurality of horizontally-aligned imaging units, each comprising a photoconductive member, transfer toner images to an intermediate transfer mechanism located below the plurality of imaging units. A pick mechanism may pick media sheets from a media input tray and feeds the media towards the front of the body. For duplex printing, the media sheets may travel along a duplex path that extends along the front of the body. In one embodiment, an access door at the front of the body pivots between a closed position and an open position. In the open position, a user may gain access to both media paths.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2009Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Franklin Joseph Palumbo, Darin M. Gettelfinger, Paul Douglas Horrall, Reginald Keith Bethel, David Anthony Schneider
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Publication number: 20110026550Abstract: A method for compensating misalignment errors associated with a laser beam in an electrophotographic (EP) device is disclosed. A first value and a second value of a time-of-flight of the laser beam are determined. The second value of the time-of-flight is associated with a current value of SOS time and EOS time of the laser beam. The second value of the time-of-flight of the laser beam is compared with the first value of the time-of-flight. A duty cycle of a fuser of the EP device is monitored. An average value of the duty cycle of the fuser for a predetermined time period is determined. One or more alignment conditions of the laser beam are adjusted based on at least one of the comparisons of the second value and the first value of the time-of-flight of the laser beam, and the determined average value of the duty cycle of the fuser.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2009Publication date: February 3, 2011Inventors: Delbert Lester Elliott, John Lemaster, Mark Andrew Omelchenko, David Anthony Schneider, Thad Carlton Switzer
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Publication number: 20100303484Abstract: A capacitive sensor for sensing amount of waste toner in a waste toner box of an imaging apparatus includes a capacitor that has a pair of separated plates disposed within the interior of the waste toner box. The capacitance of the capacitor changes with the amount of toner in between the plates of the capacitor. A sensor circuitry is connected to the plates of the waste toner box that measure the capacitance of the capacitor as a voltage value. This voltage value is provided to a controller that determines a relative change in the capacitance value by determining a change in capacitance of the capacitor with respect to a number of pages printed by the imaging apparatus. The controller then determines the state of the waste toner box based on this relative change in capacitance.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2009Publication date: December 2, 2010Inventors: Andrew Charles Hogan, Peyman Kermanshahi Nejad, James Marion Nimmo, David Anthony Schneider, Christopher Kent Washing
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Patent number: 7720404Abstract: The present application is directed to methods of operating a multi-color image forming device in a mono-color mode. The methods may include performing three basic loops during the printing in the mono-color mode. A first loop may include printing mono-color pages up to an initial preset maximum. The preset maximum may prevent a wear mark from forming on the non-operational PC members due to rubbing against the moving ITM. A second loop may occur when the mono-color pages exceeds the initial preset maximum. The second loop may include rotating the non-operational imaging stations to prevent wear. A third loop may occur when the number of mono-color images exceeds an overall maximum number. The third loop may include resetting the non-operational image forming stations to allow for continuing printing in the mono-color mode.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2007Date of Patent: May 18, 2010Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Jian Wen, David Anthony Schneider, Delbert Lester Elliott
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Publication number: 20100086325Abstract: An image forming device includes a body having a top, a bottom, a front and a back. In one embodiment, a plurality of horizontally-aligned imaging units, each comprising a photoconductive member, transfer toner images to an intermediate transfer mechanism located below the plurality of imaging units. A pick mechanism may pick media sheets from a media input tray and feeds the media towards the front of the body. For duplex printing, the media sheets may travel along a duplex path that extends along the front of the body. In one embodiment, an access door at the front of the body pivots between a closed position and an open position. In the open position, a user may gain access to both media paths.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2009Publication date: April 8, 2010Applicant: LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL, INC.Inventors: Franklin Joseph Palumbo, Darin M. Gettelfinger, Paul Douglas Horrall, Reginald Keith Bethel, David Anthony Schneider
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Patent number: 7676169Abstract: A toner patch sensor for use in an image forming device may be operated in different modes according to the color of the patch being sensed. The toner patch sensor may include a detector and a source adapted to transmit light that is reflected off a toner patch and towards the detector. The detected light may be specular and/or diffuse. A controller may selectively change the amount of one or both of the specular and diffuse light received by the detector. The source may include separate emitters for the specular and diffuse light, with the controller selectably turning off one of the emitters or selectably adjusting a ratio of illumination power between the emitters. Alternatively, the source may include a single emitter and an optical element to split light between specular light and diffuse light. Diffuse light may be blocked when sensing black toner patches.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2006Date of Patent: March 9, 2010Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Gary A. Denton, Cary Patterson Ravitz, David Anthony Schneider